The National tribune., 1887-09-08
TIE TORTILITA MINES.
How the Property ImpreSSes a Hart
ford Man.
A shre~d Yankee Sends ar Expert to Look cvas
the PrOPorty-The Experts cpn-
ion and ADVICE.

The Tortilita Gold and Silver Mining Com,
pany' Arizona mining properties, which we're
quite fully described in THE EVENING Posi-
on the 18th inst, have attracted wide alien.
ton, opening up, as they do, some wonderful
experiences in mining precious ores and .
most remarkable opportunity for safe aud
profitable Investment. Our readers will be in
terested in perusal Of the following extract
from private letter received in this city yes
terday, which bears directly upon this subject,
and fully substantiates the favorable impress
sion already created and confirmed by the state
ment Of The POsr and other leading journals
in various parts Of the country. We quote:
KANSAS Cry, No., Aag. 25. 1887.
DEAR BROTHER: Your telegram Of the 18th
inst. found me at Los Angeles California. BUT
an hour or two before my intended departure
for the east, and / am very happy thus to have
been able to perform the pleasant task which
you assigned to me, Of a side trip to the Owls
Head mining district, on my way home. lefs
Los Angeles at 1O.15 a. m. on Thursday by the
Southern Pacific Railroad, and at Has next
morning found myself az Tucson, which yOur
dispatch informed me is the nearest impOrsans
railroad point to the mines. Although your
instructions by wire were simply to go to tho
mines and get at the true inwariness Of the
you wanted Of me was 70 know from the per-
sonal observation Of q reliable friend al that
could be learned about some mining scheme in
which you or your neighbOrs were probably
invited TO become participants, aud in which
your confidence mi ght perhaps not be absolute.
nave, as you know, seen something Of mines
and mining in California and Colorado; and so,
when the Tucson bOniface asked if wanted
top or open buggy, told him to give me his
best saddle horse, and without an ounce Of bag
gage started of over the bills thirty-odd miles
to the camp of the TOrtilita Mining Company.
The roads were much better taan expected to
lind, and the clock was just striking six when
refined mp nc an unpretentiOus wooden build
ing which looked as if it might be the camp
pOstofIlce or store, but which proved TO bo
the Office OF the mining company and the head
quarters of Mr. ID. t. ElmOre superintendent
in charge Of the active operations at the mines.
Declining the hospitality which he offered,
managed to get supper and lodging az tho
boarding house adjoining the little crushing
and smelling works, and at an early hour next
morning set out for the mines, which had been
located for me by Mexican at the mill in sueh
q way that by the aid Of a rough sketch which
i made on paper under his directions felt sura
of easily finding them. There are u mines In
the TOrtilita group. personally visited and
inspected eight Of these during the day. Esding
active operations in progress as only six,
viz: The Jesse Benton, Tom Benton, By
Chance and By Chance Extension at the
northeast cluster, and the Red Peach and
Lazy Sleeper at the southwest cluster. The
little mill has only five stamps and but a very
moderate amount Of mining If necessary TO
keep it going There is any quantity Of ore in
sight and within easy reach at al Of tho eight
mines which / saw, and / am amazed that the
management is satisfied with this little one
horse mill, knocking the ore TO pieces with five
stamps, and getting out six OF eight hundred
dollars day. while a fifty stamp mill might
be supplied with good rich ore from these mines
for twenty years TO come, yielding six or eight
thousand dollars day without beginning 70
exhaust this great field Of precious metal
Elmore tells me that this property has recently
changed hands. and that the present company
are negotiating somewhere in the east for two
or three twenty-stamp mills If this be true,
you may set it down for fact that this Owl
Head district will astOnish the world by the
vastness and richness of its deposits, and the
company which owns this group of mines viii
become the wealthiest mining corporation az
least in America.
I remained one day and two nights at the
camp, coming on to Kansas City by the Atlantic
express, which reaches Tucson at midnight on
Sunday, arriving here early this mornings and
/ now embracing the first opportunity to write
you. go to Chicago this evening, and thence
to Minneapolis, not expecting to reach Con-
| neetieut before the second or third week IA
| September. When I see you can give you by
word of mouth a great many interesting de-
/ tails of my two days in the saddle--One day
going to and from Tucson and the camp, and
/ the other among the mines.
i found my man awaiting me at the Croker
house, and among the letters and papers copy
| of The HARTFORD EVENING Posi- of the 18th,
with its splendid map and description Of the
/ TOrtiEta mines. IL is all very well done, and
| interests me much in view of my jaunt over
the properties. The story is in no respect over
/ drawn. ! notice that the suDeTn tendents
statements to me regarding the proposed new
| stamping works are confirmed. This settles
/ the question as TO the future of the mines and
the mining company that owns them. Whas
| is the stock of the company selling at? twill
| be well to advise all cur friends TO get in il
they can do so anywhere near the ground
| floor. This is my candid conclusion. You
know me well enough to judge whether tha
advice is good or not.
Very hastily but truly yours,
4 II Drrs~g